Why We Should Have Support Dogs in Cony High School

by Thea Kanaris

Nowadays, many teenagers are under tremendous amounts of stress. Common challenges such as homework, expectations to succeed in school, and social relationships put various amounts of pressure on young adolescents. Stress is the body's response to external pressures. A little bit of stress can be a good thing, but a lot can be overwhelming. When teenagers become overloaded with stress, it can begin to take over their lives, leading to anxiety, depression, and irritability. According to, Why Is Generation Z So Depressed — Overprotective Parents | Thunderbird, “Gen Z has the highest rates in anxiety and depression in the history of psychology.” But how can this be prevented, especially in schools? Many useful tools can be used to help deal with stress and anxiety, such as service dogs. Service dogs can help increase oxytocin production which decreases fear and stress. Service dogs can pick up the signs and symptoms of anxiety attacks before they are even brought on, and provide emotional support and companionship to anyone who needs it. The use of service dogs would be highly successful for the overall well-being of Cony High School students. Once a week, a service dog could be brought into the school for an hour or so, being accessible to anyone who wants to see it. Alleviating the stress teenagers have is essential, so ultimately service dogs should be utilized in schools.